Virgin and Child

The Virgin, depicted both as a gentle, human mother and as an immortal, heavenly queen, cradles the Christ child in her arms. Andrea Briosco, called Riccio, made this sculpture while living in Padua, home to a thriving intellectual community and one of the most renowned universities in Europe. The study of ancient Greece and Rome was quite popular at the time, and Riccio combined a refined knowledge of antiquity with the Christian present, much to the delight of his contemporaries. The Virgin's dress and delicate features recall ancient Roman representations of deities. Shells, pearls, a winged putto, and a cameo decorate the crown atop her intricately arranged hair. Displaying the restless nature typical of small children, the infant Christ twists away from his mother to face the viewer. Though *Virgin and Child* was originally a full-length statue, only the upper half now survives.